Medieval Castles of Spain
Author: Luis Monreal y Tejada
Publisher: Konemann
Published: 1999
Total Pages: 328
ISBN-13:
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A Castle in Spain
Author: Matthew Parris
Publisher: Penguin UK
Published: 2012
Total Pages: 339
ISBN-13: 0241961785
DOWNLOAD EBOOKWalking in the Pyrenees, Matthew Parris stumbled upon a magnificent medieval house. Inspirational and instructional, this is the story of one man's dream to turn a forgotten ruin into his very own castle in Spain.
From Muslim Fortress to Christian Castle
Author: Thomas F. Glick
Publisher: Manchester University Press
Published: 1995
Total Pages: 238
ISBN-13: 9780719033490
DOWNLOAD EBOOKExplores the history of Spain from the Roman province, through the Visigothic and Arab conquests, to the Christian Reconquest and reorganisation of society in the thirteenth century
The Archaeology of Medieval Spain, 1100-1500
Author: Magdalena Valor
Publisher: Equinox Publishing
Published: 2014
Total Pages: 0
ISBN-13: 9781845531737
DOWNLOAD EBOOKSince 1985, Spanish archaeology has radically improved its organisation and effectiveness, supported by law and the transfer of powers to deal with archaeology from central to regional governments. There have been many excavations on development sites in towns and the countryside, but also new studies of rural landscapes and monuments. As in other European countries, this has produced a mountain of as yet undigested information about the history and archaeology of this fascinating country over four centuries. Now two Spanish archaeologists, aided by a large number of colleagues in Spain, France, Germany and Britain, have produced the first survey in either English or Spanish of the last 30 years of investigations, new discoveries and new theories. Chapters deal with the rural and urban habitat, daily life, trade and technology, castles and fortifications, the display of secular power and all three religions of medieval Spain: Islam, Christianity and Judaism. This is a major contribution to the archaeology of medieval Europe and a handbook for archaeologists and travellers.
Life in a Medieval Castle
Author: Joseph Gies
Publisher: Harper Collins
Published: 2010-07-30
Total Pages: 224
ISBN-13: 0062016504
DOWNLOAD EBOOKFrom acclaimed historians Frances and Joseph Gies comes the reissue of this definitive classic on medieval castles, which was a source for George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones series. “Castles are crumbly and romantic. They still hint at an age more colorful and gallant than our own, but are often debunked by boring people who like to run on about drafts and grumble that the latrines did not work. Joseph and Frances Gies offer a book that helps set the record straight—and keeps the romance too.”—Time A widely respected academic work and a source for George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones, Joseph and Frances Gies’s bestselling Life in a Medieval Castle remains a timeless work of popular medieval scholarship. Focusing on Chepstow, an English castle that survived the turbulent Middle Ages with a relative lack of violence, the book offers an exquisite portrait of what day-to-day life was actually like during the era, and of the key role the castle played. The Gieses take us through the full cycle of a medieval year, dictated by the rhythms of the harvest. We learn what lords and serfs alike would have worn, eaten, and done for leisure, and of the outside threats the castle always hoped to keep at bay. For medieval buffs and anyone who wants to learn more about this fascinating era, Life in a Medieval Castle is as timely today as when it was first published.
The Medieval Fortress
Author: J.E. Kaufmann
Publisher: Da Capo Press
Published: 2004-04-14
Total Pages: 0
ISBN-13: 9780306813580
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThe great walled castles of the medieval world continue to fascinate the modern world. Today, the remains of medieval forts and walls throughout Europe are popular tourist sites. Unlike many other books on castles, The Medieval Fortress is unique in its comprehensive treatment of these architectural wonders from a military perspective.The Medieval Fortress includes an analysis of the origins and evolution of castles and other walled defenses, a detailed description of their major components, and the reasons for their eventual decline. The authors, acclaimed fortification experts J.E. and H.W. Kaufmann, explain how the military strategies and weapons used in the Middle Ages led to many modifications of these structures. All of the representative types of castles and fortifications are discussed, from the British Isles, Ireland, France, Germany, Moorish Spain, Italy, as far east as Poland and Russia, as well as Muslim and Crusader castles in the Middle East. Over 200 photographs and 300 extraordinarily detailed technical drawings, plans, and sketches by Robert M. Jurga accompany and enrich the main text.
Life in a Medieval City
Author: Frances Gies
Publisher: Harper Collins
Published: 2010-08-03
Total Pages: 404
ISBN-13: 0062016679
DOWNLOAD EBOOKFrom acclaimed historians Frances and Joseph Gies comes the reissue of their classic book on day-to-day life in medieval cities, which was a source for George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones series. Evoking every aspect of city life in the Middle Ages, Life in a Medieval City depicts in detail what it was like to live in a prosperous city of Northwest Europe in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. The year is 1250 CE and the city is Troyes, capital of the county of Champagne and site of two of the cycle Champagne Fairs—the “Hot Fair” in August and the “Cold Fair” in December. European civilization has emerged from the Dark Ages and is in the midst of a commercial revolution. Merchants and money men from all over Europe gather at Troyes to buy, sell, borrow, and lend, creating a bustling market center typical of the feudal era. As the Gieses take us through the day-to-day life of burghers, we learn the customs and habits of lords and serfs, how financial transactions were conducted, how medieval cities were governed, and what life was really like for a wide range of people. For serious students of the medieval era and anyone wishing to learn more about this fascinating period, Life in a Medieval City remains a timeless work of popular medieval scholarship.
Spanish Splendor
Author: Jose Junquera y Matos
Publisher: Rizzoli International Publications
Published: 2004-06-12
Total Pages: 0
ISBN-13: 9780847826261
DOWNLOAD EBOOKFrom Aragon, Galicia, and the Basque regions in the north to the central cities of Madrid and Toledo, from the fabled Andalusian cities of Seville and Granada in the south to the Catalan capital, Barcelona, more than thirty enchanting and historically significant properties are visited in this landmark volume. The lavish illustrations depict the wide range of design styles embraced by Spaniards over the centuries, reflecting the fascinating motifs of the numerous cultures that have contributed to the Spanish aesthetic. Imposing medieval castillos, fabulously detailed Moorish-influenced country casas, and beautifully furnished, art-filled city palacios are included in this tour of the country's grand and historic private residences and buildings
Castles, Battles, & Bombs
Author: Jurgen Brauer
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Published: 2008-11-15
Total Pages: 425
ISBN-13: 0226071650
DOWNLOAD EBOOKCastles, Battles, and Bombs reconsiders key episodes of military history from the point of view of economics—with dramatically insightful results. For example, when looked at as a question of sheer cost, the building of castles in the High Middle Ages seems almost inevitable: though stunningly expensive, a strong castle was far cheaper to maintain than a standing army. The authors also reexamine the strategic bombing of Germany in World War II and provide new insights into France’s decision to develop nuclear weapons. Drawing on these examples and more, Brauer and Van Tuyll suggest lessons for today’s military, from counterterrorist strategy and military manpower planning to the use of private military companies in Afghanistan and Iraq. "In bringing economics into assessments of military history, [the authors] also bring illumination. . . . [The authors] turn their interdisciplinary lens on the mercenary arrangements of Renaissance Italy; the wars of Marlborough, Frederick the Great, and Napoleon; Grant's campaigns in the Civil War; and the strategic bombings of World War II. The results are invariably stimulating."—Martin Walker, Wilson Quarterly "This study is serious, creative, important. As an economist I am happy to see economics so professionally applied to illuminate major decisions in the history of warfare."—Thomas C. Schelling, Winner of the 2005 Nobel Prize in Economics
Castles in Italy
Author: Clemente Manenti
Publisher: Konemann
Published: 2001
Total Pages: 344
ISBN-13:
DOWNLOAD EBOOKNoble knights, haughty chatelaines and their castles are something we encounter in our earliest readings of fairy tales. The picture they give of the Middle Ages is glamorous but rather short on realism. This book brings to life the genuine everyday life and machinations of the Italian nobility and clergy. The names of ruling families such as the Medicis, Sforzas and d'Estes are closely linked with Italian history. Of very diverse origin and by no means always noble, they were condottieri, merchants and bankers. Their dangerous power games, alliances and intrigues were not infrequently resolved by mysterious poisonings. Splendid marriages and celebrations were part of their more public front, while princes, kings and popes were discriminating patrons of outstanding artists and poets. Their fortresses have survived the centuries, if not always unscathed, to tell their stories. Book jacket.
